Parent Handbook 2014

Transcription

1 Parent Handbook 2014 Purpose/Philosophy The purpose of this parent handbook is to provide St. Paul s Summer Camp families with the information necessary to prepare for their children s summer camp experience. Please read the following pages in order to become familiar with the Camp s policies and procedures. The St. Paul s Summer Camp community is rooted in the basic philosophy that individuals treat each other as they wish to be treated. We expect all campers, parents, and staff members to abide by all of the rules and regulations of the camp. St. Paul s Summer Camp believes summer camp is a fantastic opportunity for children to experience personal growth. We look forward to giving them a summer of fun and memories. St. Paul s Summer Camp has spent countless hours preparing for this year s summer camp program. Our staff is trained in our general philosophy as well as the little things that can make a difference in the lives of children. Our pre-camp training sessions are focused on topics and activities that will help staff members provide a positive and fulfilling summer experience for all our campers and their families. Food/Lunch All campers are provided a nutritional lunch. Our menu includes a variety of healthy offerings designed for campers of all ages, including fresh fruit and vegetables. Campers will eat in the air-conditioned Ward Center or in the Lower School cafeteria. Staff members will eat with the campers to ensure good dietary habits. This is a great time for campers to connect with counselors and teachers, and of course, with each other. Additionally, all full day campers and afternoon campers receive a refreshing afternoon snack of ice cream or a snowball. Due to camper allergies, we ask that parents avoid sending food without clearance from the summer camp office. Birthdays If your child celebrates his/her birthday during the summer, feel free to notify the summer office or your child s group leader. We are happy to help organize a small camp celebration in their honor. Pocket Money/Valuables There is no need for your camper to have either during their camp day. St. Paul s Summer Camp cannot be responsible for valuables brought to camp, (i.e. money, phones, ipads, jewelry, etc.), and suggest campers only bring necessary items.

2 Camp Hours / Drop-off and Pick-up Procedures Full Day Campers 8:30am - 3:30pm Half Day AM Campers 8:30am - 12:00pm Half Day PM Campers 11:30am - 3:30pm St. Paul s Summer Camp strives to make the drop off and pick up of your camper safe, most importantly, and as efficient as possible. In order to do so, we ask that parents are patient and cautious during these time periods. We will have a number of staff members and signage on the roads within the campus to assist with the traffic flow. Every camp family is assigned a carpool number. Please display this number prominently in your car so our staff can easily recognize you. If you are going to have a non-family member pick up your child, please send in a note to inform us, and inform them of your carpool number. Drop-off and pick-up carpool locations are designated throughout campus by signs designating numbers 1 through 4. You will be notified of your specific drop-off and pick-up locations in a welcome letter that you will receive approximately 2 weeks prior to the opening of camp. Drop-off time for Full Day Campers and AM Half Day Campers: All campers should be dropped off between 8:15-8:45 at the designated carpool area for the camp in which they are enrolled. We aim to begin formal camp sessions each day at 8:50. All campers arriving after 9:00 AM must be brought to the summer camp office where we will have a staff member escort them to their camp s location. Drop-off time for PM Half Day Campers: Campers registered for an afternoon session only should be dropped off for lunch at the carpool area designated in your welcome letter at 11:30. Staff members will be there to check your child in and take them to the lunch room. Pick-up time for AM Half Day Campers: Campers who are attending a morning session only are to be picked up following lunch between 12:00 and 12:15 at the carpool area designated in your welcome letter. Any camper not picked up by 12:15 will be brought to the summer camp office for pick-up there. If your child has not been picked up by 12:30, an extended stay fee will be charged. Pick-up time for Full Day and PM Half Day Campers: All campers should be picked up between 3:30 and 3:45 at the carpool area designated in your welcome letter. *Any camper not picked up by 4pm will join our extended day program and incur extended day charges. Absences Informing the camp office of an impending absence is appreciated but not required. Refunds are not given for absences.

3 Extended Day St. Paul s Camp offer an extended day for those unable to pick up their children by the end of the camp day. The extended day fee is $5.00 per half hour, per camper. Beginning at 4pm, campers will head to the pool for an hour of swimming, weather permitting. At 5pm, they will return to the Lower School Lunch room for movies and games. If the weather is not appropriate for outdoor activities, for example, rain or extreme heat, campers will go directly to the Lower School for their extended day. If you plan to use our extended day program, advance notice is greatly appreciated. For families planning to utilize the extended day program every day throughout all six weeks of summer camp a discounted rate is available and pre-payment is required. Pick up for the afternoon extended day will be at the pool until 5pm and in the Lower School after 5pm. Parking is available directly across from the pool in the athletic center lot, and street parking is available in front of the Lower school. Parents must sign their children out at time of pick up. If you need to pick up your child during the camp day.. Please notify the Summer Office in writing, by written note or (awells@stpaulsschool.org) on the morning you wish to pick up your child early. As usual, the more notice we receive, the easier the process is for our staff. If your plans change during the day, please call us and we will do our best to have your child waiting for you in the Summer Camp Office. All early pick ups must be signed out in the summer office, located in the lobby of the Lower School Building. Getting onto campus for afternoon pick-up time...if you are entering the St. Paul's School campus by traveling south on Falls Road, make a right into the Boy s School main entrance at the flashing stop light. If you are traveling north on Falls Road, please go past the entrance at Seminary, continue up the hill, and make a left into the main campus entrance at the flashing light. Once you are on campus, please follow the carpool direction signs which take you to the right, toward the Athletic Center parking lot, where the # 1 Pick-up station is located. This is a one way road, so the left lane is for cars pulling into the Athletic Center parking lot, and the right lane is for cars continuing past. For the additional stations, you will follow the loop, (all left hand turns) past the middle school, left toward the chapel, and past the upper school to gain access to our carpool line. *Please note: During camp sessions 2, 3 and 4, our campus is also host to a camp that is housed in the Upper School. The carpool line for this camp, which dismisses at 4pm, enters campus from the Seminary Avenue entrance and lines up on the right side of the road between the Ward Center and the chapel. Please proceed past them using the left hand lane, and then move to the right lane as you approach the Lower School playground area. Sunblock St. Paul s Summer Camp strongly suggests that sunblock be applied to all campers BEFORE they arrive at camp each morning regardless of the weather conditions. If campers will need help with applying sunblock, the Maryland Department of Health requires a parent or guardian to complete a permission form allowing camp staff to assist in the application of sunblock. This form is included in our on-line registration process. St. Paul s Summer Camp does not provide sunblock, therefore we suggest that sunblock be sent to camp on the first day in a clearly labeled container. The group leaders will store the sunblock, and, upon request, counselors will help reapply after each swim period.

4 Clothing Suggestions: Day Camp Dress for summer camp should be comfortable and simple. Shorts, t-shirts, and sneakers are all campers need for their summer experience. We suggest that children under the age of 6 wear Velcro sneakers whenever possible. Sandals are strongly discouraged due to the risk of an injury when running outside and on the playground. In general, Day Camp campers should pack the following items on the first day of camp: 2 bathing suits (bathing suits will be kept for the week and sent home on Friday for cleaning) 1 light jacket or sweatshirt. (this will be kept in an open locker in designated classrooms) Slip on pool shoes/sandals (optional for swim) Swim goggles (optional for swim) Sunblock One swim towel (Please mark your towel with the first and last name of your camper. Towels will be sent home on Friday for cleaning.) Younger campers may benefit from having a full change of clothes to be stored in their activity center. Sports/Specialty Camp Most of the sports and specialty campers can wear shorts, sneakers and a comfortable shirt. Campers registered for our sport specific camps may choose to wear turf shoes or rubber soled cleats. Basic equipment needs for those camps are as follows: SupersSports- t-shirt, shorts, sneakers Basketball- t-shirt, shorts, sneakers/basketball shoes Soccer- t-shirt, shorts, sneakers/turf shoes/rubber soled cleats, shin guards Tennis- t-shirt, shorts, sneakers, tennis racquet Lacrosse- t-shirt, shorts, sneakers/turf shoes/rubber soled cleats, lacrosse stick, gloves, and helmet. Baseball- t-shirt, shorts, sneakers/turf shoes/rubber soled cleats, baseball glove, baseball cap Football- t-shirt, shorts, sneakers/turf shoes/rubber soled cleats The Department of Health St. Paul s Summer Camp is licensed by the Maryland Department of Health. St. Paul s Summer Camp is visited by the Maryland Department of Health during the summer season. Swimming DRD Pool Management Company is working with St. Paul s Summer Camp to provide our campers with a safe and enjoyable swimming experience. All day campers will be swim tested during the first day of camp. Any camper wishing to swim in the deep water section of our pool must pass a deep water swimming test provided by the aquatics staff. All campers will be given a color coded band to wear on their wrist designating where they are permitted to swim.

5 Medical Policies and Procedures Under the Maryland law, no camper can participate in camp activities until their medical information has been placed on file in the Camp Office with the date of the camper s last tetanus shot. In order to best support the health of each camper, St. Paul s Summer Camp has also included a request for information we feel is important to know about the health of your child. Immunization records are only required for those campers who are not registered in a school in the state of Maryland. It is extremely important that our nurse review campers medical reports prior to the start of camp. A list of campers allergies and other medical issues will be compiled by our health staff and distributed to the camp coordinators and group leader. Any medication being sent to camp MUST be labeled with the original prescription/dosage information. Medications may be given to the nurse on the first day of camp or dropped off in the Summer Office prior to the start of camp. Medications will only be administered by the St. Paul s Summer Camp nurse with proper authorization from your physician. Under no circumstance should a camper be sent to camp with medications to be taken at their own discretion. If the need for medication arises during the summer, written documentation must be supplied to the Camp s nursing staff. Please advise the Summer Office immediately if your child has been diagnosed with a contagious disease, such as chicken pox, so we can, without identifying the child, inform parents of children in their group. Billing and Refund Policies All Billing is handled by the St. Paul s School Business Office. At the time of your on-line registration you are required to pay at least 50% of your total camp fee. If you have a remaining balance, it must be paid by June 1 st. Monthly statements will be sent to all accounts that have a balance due starting March 1 st. A child will not be allowed to start camp if the balance due on their account has not been paid in full prior to the first day of camp. Refunds will be granted for cancellation requests made prior to June 1 st. No refunds will be granted after June 1 st. After June 1 st, if you wish to change camp sessions a $25 Administrative Change Fee will be charged for each change. For questions regarding billing, please contact Tracy Cioni, as tcioni@stpaulsschool.org Tracey Brocato Director, St. Paul s Summer Camp